1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to apparatus and a method for working with target objects in an area having restricted access. In particular, but not exclusively, the present invention relates to providing a variety of tools which can be applied to work target objects in a hazardous in-cell region of a vitrification plant.
2. Related Art
It is well known that there are areas which provide a hazardous environment to human beings. Access to these areas must often be restricted. One example of such an environmentally hazardous area is in an in-cell region of a vitrification plant. In such an in-cell region radioactive waste material is mixed with molten glass and poured in a canister where the glass solidifies. The solidified glass block so formed may be stored thereafter and helps contain the radioactivity. An example of such a vitrification process is the continuous vitrification process developed at the AVM (Atelier De Vitrification Marcoule). This is often referred to as the AVM process.
The in-cell area in such a plant includes pre-existing equipment and apparatus which enables the AVM process to be carried out. After a period of time various parts or equipment in such a hazardous area may cease to function correctly and may need replacement. Alternatively improvements may be developed which would help make the pre-existing process more efficient. In either event parts of the apparatus or equipment should be removed from the in-cell region. These parts will be contaminated and will themselves be hazardous to humans and therefore their disposal and movement should be carried out remotely so as to avoid contact with humans.
It is known to provide such hazardous environments with in-cell manipulators. These often comprise large arms with grasping claws which can be operated by a user in an adjacent room often separated by thick walls and a protective window. These manipulators can manipulate target objects so that human users do not have to access the in-cell hazardous area. However these manipulators have a restricted range of motion and thus the activities which can be carried out are limited. The manipulators are typically developed to carry out one or two preset processes during the normal running of the vitrification plant. The manipulators are therefore not well suited to the removal or replacement of parts of the plant which actions constitute non-standard activities.
It is an aim of embodiments of the present invention to at least partly mitigate the above-referenced problems.